Robby Bowles has been at 2 events

We will be updating and sharing this General Science Page Circle (see http://goo.gl/9muuE) on Tuesday (10/9) at 9:00 PM (EST).
Please add your Science Page to this database (http://goo.gl/WCohT) if you would like to add your page to the circle. Here's the form: http://goo.gl/bfqHa. You do not have to fill out the form if you are already in the database.
Here's the link to the updated Science Page circle, http://goo.gl/aGQPB.

Google & Local-Ventures are pleased to invite you to a presentation by Google representative Devin Buell on how your business can harness the social power of Google+. It's free and open to all businesses -- until we fill up! You must register to attend at www.googletriangle.eventbrite.com. Hashtag: #GoogleTriangle
Devin will introduce you to Google+ and showoff some of the features. Then he will turn the floor over to local "power users" will also share how they've used Google+ advance their interests. New and experienced G+ users welcome!
The presentation will be followed by a reception in Marbles amazing Curiosity Hall with hors d'oeuvres, drinks from local brewer Lonerider, mingling and maybe even some giveaways from Google.
Since space is limited we will also be broadcasting via Hangouts on Air so if you can't get ticket, check back next Thursday for the link the HOA.
We hope to see you there!

Boost your visibility on Google+ - Share the circle!To be added to or stay in this Circle - Share the circleIf you received the notice you are in this circle, then well done.If you would like to be included in the next Circle Share, you only have to do these simple steps:1 - Include me in your circles2 - Share the circle (Publicly)3 - Add +1 to the post.4 - Leave a comment if you like.I will thankful if you plus and share this circle!#circles #Gif #Cute #Anime #Animals #Online #Life #CatLovers #Cat #FunnyPics #Quote #Art #CaturdayEveryday #QuoteOfTheDay #Truth #Dog #Dogs #XD #Meme #LOL #Humor #Cute #Anime #Gif #Animals #Cat #CatLovers #Art #Online #Cats #Life #FunnyPics #CaturdayEveryday #Dog #Quote #Dogs #Truth #Manga

SCIENCE CircleDo you want more science in your life? Then, be sure to add these fascinating pages and people who dwell on science daily and are actively engaging. Enrich your stream.If you are a scientist or someone who primarily posts about science and would like to be included in this circle please make a request in the comments section below.If you have someone or an organization's G+ page to recommend please add their name in the comments section below.Note: To those included in the circle, you were added by the generous recommendation of others -- their help is deeply appreciated. Your add back and re-share would be also deeply appreciated as it would help spread the word about science.Current Circles Published Mondays ORIGINAL CONTENT CREATORS: http://goo.gl/fVX5bZPublished Wednesdays:BLOGGERS & THEIR BLOGS: http://goo.gl/GNkGJhPublished Thursdays:WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS : http://goo.gl/s9RkeEMEN ARE FROM MARS : http://goo.gl/W8VDbBPublished Fridays:A CIRCLE TO PAY IT FORWARD: http://goo.gl/5mr38oOthers CirclesCREATIVES: http://goo.gl/9c5A3XSCIENCE: http://goo.gl/4UAeINTECHNOLOGY: http://goo.gl/whvLzNG+ Pages: http://goo.gl/jNZdWf#circleshare ﻿

This circle contains people who really are interesting and active people on Google Plus.If you would like to be included in the next Circle Share, you only have to do these simple steps:1 - Include me in your circles2 - Share the circle (Publicly)3 - Add +1 to the post.4 - Leave a comment if you like.I will thankful if you plus and share this circle!#publiccircle #circleshare #circlesharing #philadelphia #phoenix #san_antonio #san_diego #san_francisco #san_jose #seattle #tampa #washington #american_samoa #american_samoa #pago_pago #fiji #fiji #nadi #fiji #suva #argentina #argentina #buenos_aires #argentina #cordoba #argentina #iguaza #argentina #mendoza #argentina #rosaio #argentina #san_carlos_de_bariloche #bolivia #bolivia #cochabamba

Hey my friends. Good morning/evening to all! Circle brings together nice and interesting peopleIf you want to be a part of my best shared circles, this is the circle, you may want to add and share circle.Share The Circle And Boost Your Visibility On G+1. Add us to your circles, if you haven't done so already2. +1 this circle3. Publicly share this circle to public, your circles and extended circles.4. If possible, leave a comment on this circle so we know you have done the three steps above.Please make sure you do it on the original post or I won't notice it More you share more you get!#circleoftheday #circleoftheweek #circleoftheday #topofthecircle #howtoenlargecircle #enlargecircle #thursdaycircle #share #weekendcircle #weekend #weekendfun #circles #circleyoushare #publiccircle #sharedcircles #addcircle #sharedpubliccircles #circleshare #publicsharedcircles #circleoftheweek #circlesharing #sharedcircle #circleshare #circle #googleplus #google #thankyou ﻿#Salvador #Equatorial #Guinea #Eritrea #Estonia

Thanksgiving CircleRules are simple:1. SHARE this circle share Post PUBLICLY to your stream.2. Make sure you PLUS and COMMENT the ORIGINAL POST for me to see it.3. ADD this circle to your circles4. INCLUDE ME in YOUR circle and SHARE#sharedcircle #awesomepeople #circleshare #circlesharing #publiccircle #circleshared ﻿

Circle Of the DayTo be considered for this circle, please:1- Share this circle in your stream.2- Ask to be included in the comments section of the original post.3- Make sure you've added our page to your circles.4- You must post your own original work in your stream.﻿

SCIENCE CircleDo you want more science in your life? Then, be sure to add these fascinating pages and people who dwell on science daily and are actively engaging. Enrich your stream.If you are a scientist or someone who primarily posts about science and would like to be included in this circle please make a request in the comments section below.If you have someone or an organization's G+ page to recommend please add their name in the comments section below.Note: To those included in the circle, you were added by the generous recommendation of others -- their help is deeply appreciated. Your add back and re-share would be also deeply appreciated as it would help spread the word about science.Current Circles Published Mondays ORIGINAL CONTENT CREATORS: http://goo.gl/pOzhN7Published Wednesdays:BLOGGERS & THEIR BLOGS: http://goo.gl/mlXh9WPublished Thursdays:WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS : http://goo.gl/DgeQIAMEN ARE FROM MARS : http://goo.gl/hhJPlSPublished Fridays:A CIRCLE TO PAY IT FORWARD: http://goo.gl/Ik2RfOOthers CirclesCREATIVES: http://goo.gl/Ahy2X9SCIENCE: http://goo.gl/pzaC4yTECHNOLOGY: http://goo.gl/a1jWG6G+ Pages: http://goo.gl/9v2o43 #sciencecircle #circleshare #sharingcircles ﻿

This is my circle named 'Photographers'. Everyone in this circle share beautiful photos - of landscapes, birds, animals, flowers, babies, and people.In fact, I have 1024 people in this circle, but can share only 500 of them at a time. Try this circle, add some colour to your stream.﻿

SCIENCE CircleDo you want more science in your life? Then, be sure to add these fascinating pages and people who dwell on science daily and are actively engaging. Enrich your stream.If you are a scientist or someone who primarily posts about science and would like to be included in this circle please make a request in the comments section below.If you have someone or an organization's G+ page to recommend please add their name in the comments section below.Note: To those included in the circle, you were added by the generous recommendation of others -- their help is deeply appreciated. Your add back and re-share would be also deeply appreciated as it would help spread the word about science.Current Circles Published Mondays ORIGINAL CONTENT CREATORS : http://goo.gl/o82s0mPublished Wednesdays:BLOGGERS & THEIR BLOGS: http://goo.gl/IkCTLPPublished Thursdays:WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS : http://goo.gl/nFCsGwMEN ARE FROM MARS : http://goo.gl/tID4ZmPublished Fridays:A CIRCLE TO PAY IT FORWARD: http://goo.gl/E6v81LOthers CirclesSCIENCE: http://goo.gl/xXWLPtTECHNOLOGY: http://goo.gl/z3z8lh#science #scienceeveryday #sciencecircle #circlesharing ﻿

Circle of the dayYour re-share is appreciatedPlease re-share this circle in your stream.To be added:1- Add +Circles Circles Circles to your circles2- Write the URL of your blog in the comments section below3- Your blog must be an active blog (posts must be current)﻿

Hi friends! This is a great circle created with an important selection from all circles. The most important engagers are reshared because only that way can we grow our circle and have the people of google circle us.To get in, and to ensure you stay in this circle you need to do the following:1. Add me to your circles, if you haven't done so already!2. +1 this circle!3. Publicly share this circle to public, your circles and extended circles.4. If possible, leave a comment on this circle so I know you have done the three steps above!#circleshare #circlesharing #circleoftheday #wanttobecircled #addmetoyourcircles #public #publiccircle #sharedcircles #Britain #sharedcircle #morefollowers #sharingcircles #sharedpubliccircles #sharedpublicircles #sharedcircle #photography #uk #nottingham #Holland #Netherlands #Duch﻿

SCIENCE CircleDo you want more science in your life? Then, be sure to add these fascinating pages and people who dwell on science daily and are actively engaging. Enrich your stream.If you are a scientist or someone who primarily posts about science and would like to be included in this circle please make a request in the comments section below.If you have someone or an organization's G+ page to recommend please add their name in the comments section below.Note: To those included in the circle, you were added by the generous recommendation of others -- their help is deeply appreciated. Your add back and re-share would be also deeply appreciated as it would help spread the word about science.Current Circles Published Mondays ORIGINAL CONTENT CREATORS : http://goo.gl/RPEbdlPublished Wednesdays:BLOGGERS & THEIR BLOGS: http://goo.gl/fmOadpPublished Thursdays:WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS : http://goo.gl/Oyg8RBMEN ARE FROM MARS : http://goo.gl/9NT51gPublished Fridays:A CIRCLE TO PAY IT FORWARD: http://goo.gl/5mT3s0Others CirclesSCIENCE: http://goo.gl/AV4WvdTECHNOLOGY: http://goo.gl/YANzuo#science #scienceeveryday #sciencecircle #circlesharing ﻿

Sharers Meta-circle V: This is a meta circle of circle sharers, focusing on photography and art. This is version V, even bigger and better. It's the only circle I share, and it's a good one.(and if you could, please look at my art and photography, that's why I do this - scroll down, I have lots of new and old good things)Thanks to everyone who shared me, and looked and commented on my photography and art.Peace. James#circlesharer #circle #circles #circlefreaks #publiccircle #circleshare #circlesharing #sharedcircles #sharedcircle #morefollowers #sharingcircles #circleshare #endlesscircle #sharedpubliccircles #sharedpublicircles #sharedcircle #AddCircle #FindCircles #AwesomeCircle #addcircle #addpeople #circlemeup #circlesdiscovery #circleshare #circlesharing #publiccircle #SharedCircles #photography#art #landscape #photograph #kickstarter #circlemania #circlingtheglobe#director

Here is a group of Active Engagers, Circle Sharers, Awesome Plus Oners, and Cool People on Google Plus! Circle Sharing is an awesome way to increase your followers and active engagers on your profile. Some of my favorite people that I've met here on Google + through Circle Sharing. Want to be in the next Circle of Awesomeness? Follow the Steps Below! ☛ Add the circle ☛ Share in the Public ☛ Plus 1 the Post. ☛ Comment. ﻿

SCIENCE CircleDo you want more science in your life? Then, be sure to add these fascinating pages and people who dwell on science daily and are actively engaging. Enrich your stream.If you are a scientist or someone who primarily posts about science and would like to be included in this circle please make a request in the comments section below.If you have someone or an organization's G+ page to recommend please add their name in the comments section below.Note: To those included in the circle, you were added by the generous recommendation of others -- their help is deeply appreciated. Your add back and re-share would be also deeply appreciated as it would help spread the word about science.Current Circles Published Mondays ORIGINAL CONTENT CREATORS : http://goo.gl/WbY7NSPublished Wednesdays:BLOGGERS & THEIR BLOGS: http://goo.gl/XPSnHVPublished Thursdays:WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS : http://goo.gl/itFj7ZMEN ARE FROM MARS : http://goo.gl/uBBxgdPublished Fridays:A CIRCLE TO PAY IT FORWARD: http://goo.gl/f1wz2IOthers CirclesSCIENCE: http://goo.gl/MOGsxGTECHNOLOGY: http://goo.gl/bDcYF4#science #scienceeveryday #sciencecircle #circlesharing ﻿

Wildlife Photographers CircleWell, it has been over a year since I last shared my wildlife photographers circle. I have recently been through it, and dropped some folks who no longer seems to be posting. Whilst going though all the people, I realise just how many friends I have made in this online world. I look forward to meeting more of you in the flesh someday.Please feel free to share this with your followers (that is how this works after all). If you are not on here and are a keen amateur, semi-pro or seasoned pro, let me know and I will add you. ﻿

SCIENCE CircleDo you want more science in your life? Then, be sure to add these fascinating pages and people who dwell on science daily and are actively engaging. Enrich your stream.If you are a scientist or someone who primarily posts about science and would like to be included in this circle please make a request in the comments section below.If you have someone or an organization's G+ page to recommend please add their name in the comments section below.Note: To those included in the circle, you were added by the generous recommendation of others -- their help is deeply appreciated. Your add back and re-share would be also deeply appreciated as it would help spread the word about science.Current Circles Published Mondays ORIGINAL CONTENT CREATORS : http://goo.gl/Hev5GIPublished Wednesdays:BLOGGERS: http://goo.gl/Nqll1yPublished Thursdays:WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS : http://goo.gl/olCV0EMEN ARE FROM MARS : http://goo.gl/l58RRiPublished Fridays:A CIRCLE TO PAY IT FORWARD: http://goo.gl/oIXG1ROthers Circles:SCIENCE: http://goo.gl/voKgBxTECHNOLOGY: http://goo.gl/bDcYF4#science #scienceeveryday #sciencecircle #circlesharing ﻿

Its been awhile....For over three years I collected and shared an exclusive B&W circle. This circle "was" one of the most shared on G+ for awhile. I would share it once a month with everyone as a part of my personal desire to share more quality B&W images and photographers. The requirement for being in this circle was that the photographer shot at least 60% B&W images (I tend to shoot 80%).There are some excellent photographers and friends here. I encourage you to take a look at their work. While I know that bulk circle sharing is a thing of the past or no longer the norm on G+ (which is a shame) I wanted to re-share a collection of truly inspirational people.You wont be disappointed. Re-share if you like their work</david>﻿

For creative people Creative Snow Ball Circle ! This is a good game to expand your circles of friends.+ Plus: Click +1 this post.+ Comment+ Add circle into your circles+ if you creative person !!! Add yourself when will share the circle !+ Share#artists #indonesia #circlesharing #circleshare #creative﻿

- This is a game to expand the circle of friends.- If you see this message and you want to participate. Just perform the following actions:+ Plus: Click +1 this post.+ Comment: You note that any comments.+ Share: You share this comment to more people.+ Add: Select to add the button to connect with 500 people following, including me.The way to [Super Circle Part 2]: If you do all the steps above, of course, you have your bot acc add 1, and based on the number of people I will add up round [Super Circle Part 2], in addition to the many shared, and a new positive ..Thank you for reading.#artists #indonesia #circlesharing #circleshare #adult #tourism﻿

Transhumans CircleBy popular Demand, I am sharing some of my Circles. This is +Mark Bruce Transhumans Circle Plus Others Ive been adding.If you are tagged, you are in it.Web Link for Mobile https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AdamBlack/posts/6iQmLpEj1Zm #sharedcircles #GeekCulture #ScienceSunday #Transhumans #Transhumanism #HumanPlus ﻿

+Luke Strothman here is a circle of Photographers.... and HEY Your in it How about that........ I have a couple more I can share with you.... Or I could just put them all in one circle and share that out but then the circle would be large to add :) and +Joshua Fisher is in this one too :)﻿

This is the Birding Circle Share!Share this circle publicly on YOUR STREAM. Rules are simple:Birding Circle Share1. SHARE this circle PUBLICLY to your stream to stay in the next circle2. Make sure you PLUS and COMMENT the ORIGINAL POST for me to see it3. ADD this circle to your circles4. INCLUDE ME in YOUR circle#sharedcircle #awesomepeople #circleshare #circlesharing #publiccircle #circleshared ﻿

Most comments: 34

I have been missing from plus for a bit now and a couple of you have kindly inquired as to my whereabouts. I wanted to share a quick post and photo providing that answer. My wife and I had our first child recently and I have cut back on a few endeavors, including plus, to adjust for his arrival. I do plan on returning as time permits, but for the time being my posting will be limited. Thanks for understanding.﻿

Most plusones: 71

I have been hoping to photograph Snowy Owls for a few years now, but have come up empty. This was finally the year and I was able to find a number of them over my Christmas vacation and get a few photos. They are truly magnificent and it was special to see them in the wild. I had as much fun observing them as I did photographing them. I look forward to my next encounter with them, but for now will have to enjoy the photos I took of them.

You can find more of my wildlife photography and prints for purchase on my website at http://www.robbybowles.com/Art/Wild

Make sure to check out +ScienceSunday's content partner, Carry the One Radio,and their most recent episode interviewing Dr. Garret Stuber from UNC - Chapel Hill.

Some good stuff in this interview on dopamine and avoidance.

#ScienceSunday

Carry The One Radio: Tapping Into the Brains Avoidance Centers #ScienceSunday

Check out +ScienceSunday's content partner, Carry the One Radio, and their new episode with Dr. Garret Stuber at UNC, Chapel Hill.

http://carrytheoneradio.com/episode/2014-02-01

The What - Traditionally, dopamine is known to transmit reward signals (food, sex, etc.) in the brain and promote behaviors that lead to that reward again. What you may not know, however, is that the area of the brain that releases dopamine, the ventral midbrain, also receives signals of aversion (things we find unpleasant or even dangerous) from a far-off brain region called the lateral habenula. These avoidance signals promote behaviors that lead us to avoid unpleasant or dangerous things in the world.

The Lab - These brain circuits are necessary for survival and are the focus of Dr. Garret Stuber and his laboratory at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. Using a tool known as optogenetics, Dr. Stuber can excite specific populations of neurons within mouse brains and observe their effects on behavior. For example, by stimulating the neurons in the lateral habenula that signal aversion, he can cause mice to avoid the location in which they received that stimulation. He is essentially creating an aversive stimulus by stimulating the neurons that would normally respond to harmful or unpleasant cues in the world.

Why? - His work has important implications in addiction and psychiatric disorders

The episode can be found here:http://carrytheoneradio.com/episode/2014-02-01

#ScienceSunday #SciSunRDB ﻿___Carry The One Radio: Tapping into the Brains Avoidance Centers.

Make sure to check out +ScienceSunday's content partner, Carry the One Radio,and their most recent episode interviewing Dr. Garret Stuber from UNC - Chapel Hill.

While out photographing Snowy Owls on Amherst Island this year, this hawk decided to get pretty close to me. I always attempt to maintain my distance from the wildlife I photograph out of respect for them. This hawk was not concerned about me and landed quite close to me. I was appreciative of the great opportunity to get a close shot to this beautiful hawk. You never know what to expect each day you go out to shoot, but I always enjoy it. All in all, it was a great day of photography.

Cheers everyone.

Prints of this shot and other wildlife photographs available on my website at http://www.robbybowles.com/Art/Wild

#WildlifeWednesday (+Mike Spinak +Morkel Erasmus)﻿

The Unexpected.

While out photographing Snowy Owls on Amherst Island this year, this hawk decided to get pretty close to me. I always attempt to maintain my distance from the wildlife I photograph out of respect for them. This hawk was not concerned about me and landed quite close to me. I was appreciative of the great opportunity to get a close shot to this beautiful hawk. You never know what to expect each day you go out to shoot, but I always enjoy it. All in all, it was a great day of photography.

Cheers everyone.

Prints of this shot and other wildlife photographs available on my website at http://www.robbybowles.com/Art/Wild

I thought it would be fun to start snapping some photos of the science I'm doing on a daily basis. There are often cool visuals that we see everyday that you would never see unless you worked in a lab. This is a photo of our centrifuge as we purify plasmid for a lentiviral gene delivery experiment.

#ScienceEveryday﻿

Science in Action

I thought it would be fun to start snapping some photos of the science I'm doing on a daily basis. There are often cool visuals that we see everyday that you would never see unless you worked in a lab. This is a photo of our centrifuge as we purify plasmid for a lentiviral gene delivery experiment.

I have been hoping to photograph Snowy Owls for a few years now, but have come up empty. This was finally the year and I was able to find a number of them over my Christmas vacation and get a few photos. They are truly magnificent and it was special to see them in the wild. I had as much fun observing them as I did photographing them. I look forward to my next encounter with them, but for now will have to enjoy the photos I took of them.

You can find more of my wildlife photography and prints for purchase on my website at http://www.robbybowles.com/Art/Wild

I have been hoping to photograph Snowy Owls for a few years now, but have come up empty. This was finally the year and I was able to find a number of them over my Christmas vacation and get a few photos. They are truly magnificent and it was special to see them in the wild. I had as much fun observing them as I did photographing them. I look forward to my next encounter with them, but for now will have to enjoy the photos I took of them.

You can find more of my wildlife photography and prints for purchase on my website at http://www.robbybowles.com/Art/Wild

+Science Exchange shares one of the coolest science gifs of 2013. This gif was produced from a video by NASA, which can be seen here: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sdo/news/coronal-rain.html

NASA states:

"On July 19, 2012, an eruption occurred on the sun that produced a moderately powerful solar flare and a dazzling magnetic display known as coronal rain. Hot plasma in the corona cooled and condensed along strong magnetic fields in the region. Magnetic fields, are invisible, but the charged plasma is forced to move along the lines, showing up brightly in the extreme ultraviolet wavelength of 304 Angstroms, and outlining the fields as it slowly falls back to the solar surface. Music: "Thunderbolt" by Lars Leonhard, courtesy of artist. Credit: NASA/SDO/Goddard Scientific Visualization S... more »

Epic coronal rain on the sun captured by NASA.

More of the best science gifs of 2013: http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2013/12/the-coolest-science-of-2013-in-gifs/

#NASA #smithsonian #scienceeveryday ﻿___Solar Eruption.

May Your New Year be Filled with Science!

+Science Exchange shares one of the coolest science gifs of 2013. This gif was produced from a video by NASA, which can be seen here: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sdo/news/coronal-rain.html

NASA states:

"On July 19, 2012, an eruption occurred on the sun that produced a moderately powerful solar flare and a dazzling magnetic display known as coronal rain. Hot plasma in the corona cooled and condensed along strong magnetic fields in the region. Magnetic fields, are invisible, but the charged plasma is forced to move along the lines, showing up brightly in the extreme ultraviolet wavelength of 304 Angstroms, and outlining the fields as it slowly falls back to the solar surface. Music: "Thunderbolt" by Lars Leonhard, courtesy of artist. Credit: NASA/SDO/Goddard Scientific Visualization Studio"

Check out the most recent edition of Carry the One Radio (content partner with +ScienceSunday) on Sophie Dumont's work at UCSF. Her lab is working to understand how the chromosome (an organized structure of DNA) is divided and segregated into separate daughter cells.

You can find the interview here: http://www.carrytheoneradio.com/episode/2013-12-01

#ScienceSunday

Carry the One Radio: Pulling DNA.

We bring you the newest interview by Carry the One Radio (brought to you by +Sama Ahmed) of Sophie Dumont at the University of California, San Francisco.

The Process - When a cell divides (called a parent cell), it provides a complete copy of genes to each new cell that is formed (called daughter cells). This complicated process occurs repeatedly to accomplish an organism's development, repair, and replenishment. To reliably split the DNA correctly requires an orchestra of microscopic interactions among many molecules.

The Mechanics - While we know many of the molecules involved, scientists still know relatively little about the mechanical interactions that underlie this process. Our guest this month, Sophie Dumont, Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell and Tissue Biology at UCSF, hopes to understand these interactions. Specifically, her lab is working to understand how the chromosome (an organized structure of DNA) is divided and segregated into separate daughter cells.

The Implications - Her work has implications in various developmental disorders and cancer, which can result from errors in cell division. At the end of our talk she discusses what it’s like to be a woman in science and gives advice to listeners interested in a career in science.

#ScienceSunday #SciSunRDB ﻿___Carry the One Radio: Pulling DNA.

Check out the most recent edition of Carry the One Radio (content partner with +ScienceSunday) on Sophie Dumont's work at UCSF. Her lab is working to understand how the chromosome (an organized structure of DNA) is divided and segregated into separate daughter cells.

You can find the interview here: http://www.carrytheoneradio.com/episode/2013-12-01

Check out this fun #ScienceSunday post from +Rich Pollett showing tadpoles moving around in the male Darwin's frog vocal pouch as they develop!

As a new father, it's incredible to see how other species have evolved to nurture their offspring.

Update - Unfortunately, +Tommy Leung has pointed out that this species is likely extinct. Check out Tommy's post on the subject here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/111479647230213565874/posts/43hNoKLxQPW

#ScienceSunday

Look at this GIF of tadpoles wriggling around in their dad’s mouth

A male Darwin’s frog with a vocal pouch full of tadpoles. He carries them around until they develop into froglets and hop out of his mouth. (Natural World - BBC)

Check out this fun #ScienceSunday post from +Rich Pollett showing tadpoles moving around in the male Darwin's frog vocal pouch as they develop!

As a new father, it's incredible to see how other species have evolved to nurture their offspring.

Update - Unfortunately, +Tommy Leung has pointed out that this species is likely extinct. Check out Tommy's post on the subject here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/111479647230213565874/posts/43hNoKLxQPW

A Mantis eating a fish! One of my favorite +ScienceSunday posts this week. Make sure to join us each week for #ScienceSunday and during the weekdays for #ScienceEveryday .

#ScienceEveryday

Mantis Eating a Fish

This really has to be seen to be believed. A mantis (probably a very hungry one) pounces on and eats an actual fish. Although, given that they are capable of eating birds, it's not altogether too surprising.

Praying Mantis vs Hummingbird

Learn more about mantises here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantis

#ScienceSunday #SciSunBS

h/t +Michael Habib ﻿___Seriously?

A Mantis eating a fish! One of my favorite +ScienceSunday posts this week. Make sure to join us each week for #ScienceSunday and during the weekdays for #ScienceEveryday .

“[t]here is nothing which can better deserve your patronage, than the promotion of Science and Literature. Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of publick happiness” - George Washington, first annual address to congress which you can find here, http://ahp.gatech.edu/first_state_union_1790.html

I also particularly like the concluding passage from the AAAS presidential address.

"The American public already highly values science and scientists and seems to have an intuitive grasp of heavy-tailed, not immediately monetizable, returns. Through communication with the public, we must continue to provide the evidence that may justify those beliefs—indeed, this is the mission of AAAS. But also as individuals, we must seize every opportunity to demon... more »

What's So Special About Science?

I love this quote out of the AAAS presidential address.

“[t]here is nothing which can better deserve your patronage, than the promotion of Science and Literature. Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of publick happiness” - George Washington, first annual address to congress which you can find here, http://ahp.gatech.edu/first_state_union_1790.html

I also particularly like the concluding passage from the AAAS presidential address.

"The American public already highly values science and scientists and seems to have an intuitive grasp of heavy-tailed, not immediately monetizable, returns. Through communication with the public, we must continue to provide the evidence that may justify those beliefs—indeed, this is the mission of AAAS. But also as individuals, we must seize every opportunity to demonstrate that what we do is altruistic and idealistic and that it is also economically vital. Our message is that science is a single, unified, long-term enterprise in which basic science discoveries, and research accomplishments of applied science and engineering, are things to be admired in their own right that also, often unpredictably, lead to better jobs and better lives, new products and new industries. Both of these perspectives will be well served if the United Statesis able to keep itself (and help to put the rest of the world) on a Solow-inspired trajectory of technology-enabled exponential growth."

Check out the entire AAAS presidential address on the importance of science (and how much we should spend on it here, http://www.sciencemag.org/content/342/6160/817?utm_content=&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_campaign=Science&utm_source=shortener

One of my favorite #ScienceSunday posts from yesterday. While there were many posts with great content (check them out at +ScienceSunday), this post got my imagination running wild. There is a ton of science captured in this short animation of the earth and it's a great reminder that science is everywhere. What scientific principles do you see in this animation? Or, what else does this make you think about?

#ScienceEveryday

Worldly Science

Enjoy for your #sciencesunday

#world #globe #science ﻿___A Day in the Life of

One of my favorite #ScienceSunday posts from yesterday. While there were many posts with great content (check them out at +ScienceSunday), this post got my imagination running wild. There is a ton of science captured in this short animation of the earth and it's a great reminder that science is everywhere. What scientific principles do you see in this animation? Or, what else does this make you think about?

I have discussed my research using cell-based strategies to treat back pain a number of times on plus. A recent Nature Outlook article discusses recent techniques to biologically repair and treat the diseased intervertebral disc.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v503/n7475_supp/full/503S7a.html

This article covers my thesis work (http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/07/25/1107094108.abstract) and work out of my current lab (http://settonlab.pratt.duke.edu/).

(Note that the first picture is +Aubrey Francisco one of our newest curators on +ScienceSunday !)

Back Pain – Incredibly complex. This is probably the best way to start a discussion about this problem. It is now ranked 6th in terms of disease burden according disability adjusted life years (http://... more »

Back Pain and Tissue Engineering

I have discussed my research using cell-based strategies to treat back pain a number of times on plus. A recent Nature Outlook article discusses recent techniques to biologically repair and treat the diseased intervertebral disc.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v503/n7475_supp/full/503S7a.html

This article covers my thesis work (http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2011/07/25/1107094108.abstract) and work out of my current lab (http://settonlab.pratt.duke.edu/).

(Note that the first picture is +Aubrey Francisco one of our newest curators on +ScienceSunday !)

Back Pain – Incredibly complex. This is probably the best way to start a discussion about this problem. It is now ranked 6th in terms of disease burden according disability adjusted life years (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23245608), ahead of malaria, diabetes, tuberculosis, lung cancer, and many other diseases. Despite the incredible disease burden, the underlying mechanisms that drive the development of chronic back pain are poorly understood. One suspected contributor to back pain is degenerative disc disease.

Intervertebral Disc – The intervertebral disc is the cartilaginous tissue located within your spine that provides flexibility to your spine and acts as an energy dissipater (shock absorber). Unfortunately, this tissue is susceptible to a process that leaves the tissue poorly hydrated, disorganized (it starts highly organized), and with a smaller height than in healthy tissues. This is associated with altered mechanics, an inflammatory environment, disc herniation, and new nerve ingrowth into the disc. These are all believed to contribute to the development of back pain in some patients. I say some patients, because it is unclear to what degree each of these is contributing to back pain in each patient and there are many possible sources of back pain that are unrelated to the intervertebral disc. In addition to functional changes in the intervertebral disc, growing evidence is implicating inflammatory signaling molecules and their interactions with pain sensing nerves (nociceptors) in and around the disc as a contributor to back pain (Disclaimer: this is my current research area and I have a vested research interest in these interactions). For the fields current views on how the intervertebral disc is related to back pain, see the recently published review by Mak Risbud and Ivan Shapiro.

Tissue Engineering - Due to the degeneration of the intervertebral disc, many efforts have been ongoing to restore mechanical function to the diseased tissue. Some of these efforts have been non-biological in nature, such as total disc replacement efforts (http://www.synthes.com/sites/NA/Products/Spine/Interbody_and_Vertebral_Body_Replacement_Systems/Pages/ProDisc-C-Total-Disc-Replacement.aspx). More recently, there has been a growing interest in biologically mediated efforts. The most simplistic way of looking at these efforts is that new cells embedded in biomaterials, could develop and replace intervertebral disc tissue that has been damaged through disease progression. These efforts are promising, but will likely evolve as our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of back pain change. See the recent Nature Outlook article to hear from current opinion leaders in the field

+ScienceSunday has come a long way since +Allison Sekuler and myself founded the #ScienceSunday tag. We have recently announced the addition of a podcast partner (Carry the one Radio), which was cofounded by +Sama ahmed and Bryan Seybold, to the ScienceSunday lineup. Additionally, we have announced the addition of Dr. +Aubrey Francisco to the team. Check out the post below to learn more about Aubrey and make sure to add her to your circles.

Thanks for all your support of +ScienceSunday. We look forward to bringing your more great Science content here on plus!

Don't forget to tag us in on all your best science-related posts (insights, stories, posts, puns, songs, memes, etc!) Just include #ScienceSunday (or #ScienceEveryday if it's not Sunday) and tag in the curators to be sure we'll see it - +Allison Sekuler +R... more »

#ScienceSunday began just over two years ago, and we have been thrilled by the way it's become part of the fabric of Google+. We've now had over 150,000 page +s, over 80,000 circlers, and #ScienceSunday trends every week as people pass on their science-related stories, images, and even the occasional pun ;)

To keep up with the ever growing interest in science and +ScienceSunday on Google+, we have added our sixth curator to the #ScienceSunday family, Aubrey Francisco.

Meet Aubrey FranciscoAubrey Francisco grew up in Amsterdam, NY and completed her undergraduate degree in Bioengineering at Syracuse University. She recently received her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University. Her doctorate work focused on the development of laminin functionalized biomaterials for cell-based regeneration of the intervertebral disc. During her undergraduate and graduate work, Aubrey developed a strong interest in science education and outreach through her experience as a teaching assistant and guest lecturer, and as a mentor for 8th grade girls interested in math and science. Aubrey recently relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, where she hopes to start a career that combines her interests in science, education, and policy to help improve STEM education and scientific literacy.

The image shows Aubrey at work in the lab, working on a new biomaterial that could help millions of people around the world with back pain. You can read the full story on her work here: http://goo.gl/I6laJ2

Don't forget to tag us in on all your best science-related posts (insights, stories, posts, puns, songs, memes, etc!) Just include #ScienceSunday (or #ScienceEveryday if it's not Sunday) and tag in the curators to be sure we'll see it - +Allison Sekuler +Robby Bowles +Rajini Rao +Chad Haney +Buddhini Samarasinghe and now +Aubrey Francisco too! Look for #scisunATF to see her shares.

#scisunABS﻿___ScienceSunday is Growing

+ScienceSunday has come a long way since +Allison Sekuler and myself founded the #ScienceSunday tag. We have recently announced the addition of a podcast partner (Carry the one Radio), which was cofounded by +Sama ahmed and Bryan Seybold, to the ScienceSunday lineup. Additionally, we have announced the addition of Dr. +Aubrey Francisco to the team. Check out the post below to learn more about Aubrey and make sure to add her to your circles.

Thanks for all your support of +ScienceSunday. We look forward to bringing your more great Science content here on plus!

Don't forget to tag us in on all your best science-related posts (insights, stories, posts, puns, songs, memes, etc!) Just include #ScienceSunday (or #ScienceEveryday if it's not Sunday) and tag in the curators to be sure we'll see it - +Allison Sekuler +Robby Bowles +Rajini Rao +Chad Haney +Buddhini Samarasinghe and now +Aubrey Francisco too! Look for #scisunATF to see her shares.

Our congress may not want to do their job, but researchers show their resolve to continue to do their groundbreaking and life changing work despite serious adversity. Dr. Sally Rockey, the NIH's Deputy Director for Extramural Research posted to her blog today,

"My colleagues and I have heard from many of you since Friday, expressing significant concerns regarding delaying the review of applications to the May council round due to the Government shutdown. Applicants faced with a four month delay in a funding decision described serious consequences to their research programs. Additionally, many reviewers contacted us saying they are ready and willing to do anything to get these reviews done. In light of this feedback, our review staff have risen to the challenge, and will be working with reviewers to go the extra mile in ... more »

Scientists Rising to the Challenge

Our congress may not want to do their job, but researchers show their resolve to continue to do their groundbreaking and life changing work despite serious adversity. Dr. Sally Rockey, the NIH's Deputy Director for Extramural Research posted to her blog today,

"My colleagues and I have heard from many of you since Friday, expressing significant concerns regarding delaying the review of applications to the May council round due to the Government shutdown. Applicants faced with a four month delay in a funding decision described serious consequences to their research programs. Additionally, many reviewers contacted us saying they are ready and willing to do anything to get these reviews done. In light of this feedback, our review staff have risen to the challenge, and will be working with reviewers to go the extra mile in exceptionally creative ways to reschedule as many of the 200+ missed October review meetings as possible."

In other words, scientists with serious work loads are going to do whatever it takes to make sure the grants that were not reviewed, get reviewed ASAP. The effects of the shutdown will continue to ripple through many communities, but I'm proud to be part of one that will go the extra mile to reduce the negative impact on research caused by the shutdown.

Our new content partners at +ScienceSunday, Carry the One Radio, have produced a great podcast discussing the science of the brain through the eyes of the Zombie Brain. It's a great bit of fun and I encourage you to check it out.

It's always great to see science being discussed in new and fun ways!

#ScienceSunday

The Science of The Zombie Brain

Carry the One Radio, our newest +ScienceSunday content partner, brings us another fascinating podcast looking at the science of brains through the lens of the Zombie Brain!

The What - No, zombies are not real (at least not yet), but that does not mean we can’t enjoy analyzing their mental capacities.

The Who - This is the work of Brad Voytek, scientist at UCSF and our guest this month on Carry the One Radio. When Brad isn’t busy with his scientific research mapping the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that makes us human, he “studies” the effects of zombification on the brain. He uses this work as a fun way to teach neuroscience. Listen as Brad describes the zombie brain and how it can help us teach how the human brain might work.

*Keep tuning in for more great content from Carry the One Radio here at +ScienceSunday!

#ScienceSunday #SciSunRDB ﻿___*The Science of The Zombie Brain

Our new content partners at +ScienceSunday, Carry the One Radio, have produced a great podcast discussing the science of the brain through the eyes of the Zombie Brain. It's a great bit of fun and I encourage you to check it out.

We are excited to introduce Carry the One Radio at +ScienceSunday! Carry the One produces short interviews with scientists and discusses their work in an informative manor that is easy to digest. Make sure to check out their interview with Dr. Mark Ansel at UCSF discussing MicroRNAs and their role in the Immune System. Stay tuned for more great content from Carry the One Radio at ScienceSunday.

ScienceSunday would like to introduce our new Content Partner, Carry the One Radio. We will be carrying and sharing their short interviews with scientists . We will be developing new content with Carry the One Radio to bring to you on a regular basis. Please enjoy and share wide and far!

The Interview - Samantha Ancona Esselmann interviews Dr. Mark Ansel (UCSF) to discuss the role of microRNAs in the immune system. Dr. Mark Ansel is an Assistant Professor in the UCSF Department of Microbiology & Immunology and we discuss his work on these recently discovered molecules and their role in helping the body protect itself.

Immune System - The key to understanding our immune system might lie in understanding microRNAs. These are tiny strings of nucleotides (the same molecules that makes DNA) that influence how and which genes are expressed.

microRNA - Within the cell, most RNA is produced from our DNA (genes) and translated to make proteins that help the cell function. microRNAs are produced from DNA but don’t make proteins. Instead, microRNAs ensure that the right genes are translated under the right conditions.

Role in Immune System - microRNAs work in the immune system by helping a type of white blood cell, known as a T-cell, make antibodies that bind and destroy cellular invaders. The set of microRNAs that Dr. Ansel and his lab studies regulate genes that let T-cells recognize their environment and produce the correct antibodies. He has found that without these microRNAs, T-cells cannot properly mediate immunity.

Implications - Dr. Ansel's work has important implications in understanding the immune system and what goes wrong in diseases like HIV and AIDS. At the end of our interview, he talks about what motivates him most in science—the thrill of discovery.

Music: Kevin MacLeod: J. S. Bach: Prelude in C - BWV 846

More on the Ansel Lab's research:

carrytheoneradio.com/episode/2013-10-01

#CTOR #CarryTheOneRadio +SoundCloud

https://soundcloud.com/carrytheoneradio/the-big-role-of-micrornas-in

#ScienceSunday ﻿___ScienceSunday Introduces Carry the One Radio.

We are excited to introduce Carry the One Radio at +ScienceSunday! Carry the One produces short interviews with scientists and discusses their work in an informative manor that is easy to digest. Make sure to check out their interview with Dr. Mark Ansel at UCSF discussing MicroRNAs and their role in the Immune System. Stay tuned for more great content from Carry the One Radio at ScienceSunday.

These beautiful Great Egrets did me a favor and set up in a spot that both put the background in relative shadow and direct light on them. This allowed me to expose for them and their reflections and produce one of my favorite Egret shots in some time. I would say I spend many hours per photo that I find acceptable. This often involves sitting for a long time watching the light and scene for the right moment. I love every minute of it!

More of my wildlife photography and prints at http://www.robbybowles.com/Art/Wild

These beautiful Great Egrets did me a favor and set up in a spot that both put the background in relative shadow and direct light on them. This allowed me to expose for them and their reflections and produce one of my favorite Egret shots in some time. I would say I spend many hours per photo that I find acceptable. This often involves sitting for a long time watching the light and scene for the right moment. I love every minute of it!

More of my wildlife photography and prints at http://www.robbybowles.com/Art/Wild

Researchers out of the University of Rochester have demonstrated that the glymphatic system, which you can think of as the brain's "plumbing" system, changes states during sleep. The space between cells can increase by 60% when asleep or anesthetized! This change allows molecules such as beta-amyloid, a molecule associated with Alzheimer’s, to be cleared more rapidly when asleep than awake! This study helps provide a novel clue into the function of sleep.

The video below shows dye flowing through the brain when asleep (left) and when awake (right). The increased flow and clearance described above can be observed with the increased flow nad clearance of the dye on the left!

Brain Opens Up The Pipes During Sleep

#ScienceEveryday ﻿

Brain, Plumbing, and Sleep.

Researchers out of the University of Rochester have demonstrated that the glymphatic system, which you can think of as the brain's "plumbing" system, changes states during sleep. The space between cells can increase by 60% when asleep or anesthetized! This change allows molecules such as beta-amyloid, a molecule associated with Alzheimer’s, to be cleared more rapidly when asleep than awake! This study helps provide a novel clue into the function of sleep.

The video below shows dye flowing through the brain when asleep (left) and when awake (right). The increased flow and clearance described above can be observed with the increased flow nad clearance of the dye on the left!

A simple demonstration of retrograde motion, a phenomenon that ancient astronomers had difficulty explaining.

Learn more at http://www.lasalle.edu/~smithsc/Astronomy/retrograd.html

#ScienceEveryday

Retrograde motionWhen you plot the position of Mars in the sky, you’ll notice that in general it moves from West to East. But when we are closest to Mars, it seems to go backwards for a bit before continuing. This is called retrograde motion, and this challenged early models of the Solar system which had Earth at the center. The animation shows why Mars appears to go backwards for a bit.

This Great Egret just finished its morning fishing routine and was ready to perch in a nearby tree. It's always a magnificent experience to spend extended time with an animal in the wild. Often, you get a quick glimpse of an animal and they are off. But this Great Egret remained fishing for about 2 hours while I photographed the bird. A wonderful experience.

Make sure to view the photo large and if you want to see more head over to http://www.robbybowles.com/Art/Wild

This Great Egret just finished its morning fishing routine and was ready to perch in a nearby tree. It's always a magnificent experience to spend extended time with an animal in the wild. Often, you get a quick glimpse of an animal and they are off. But this Great Egret remained fishing for about 2 hours while I photographed the bird. A wonderful experience.

Make sure to view the photo large and if you want to see more head over to http://www.robbybowles.com/Art/Wild

While I love the aesthetics of this immuno-fluoresence image, what it represents is not nearly as fun. This is is a peripheral nerve that is involved in communicating a signal to the central nervous system (spinal chord and brain), where it will be interpreted as pain.

Afferent vs Efferent - Afferent nerve fibers, also known as sensory nerve fibers carry signals from receptors to the central nervous system. These are the nerve fibers that would carry a "painful" signal to the brain. *Efferent* nerve fibers, also known as motor nerve fibers, carry nerve impulses away from the central nervous system. These are the nerve fibers that carry the signals that allow you to move. When thinking about pain, we are interested in the afferent fibers.

Pain is Good - Pain has largely developed to help provide a reflexive with... more »

Pain.

While I love the aesthetics of this immuno-fluoresence image, what it represents is not nearly as fun. This is is a peripheral nerve that is involved in communicating a signal to the central nervous system (spinal chord and brain), where it will be interpreted as pain.

Afferent vs Efferent - Afferent nerve fibers, also known as sensory nerve fibers carry signals from receptors to the central nervous system. These are the nerve fibers that would carry a "painful" signal to the brain. *Efferent* nerve fibers, also known as motor nerve fibers, carry nerve impulses away from the central nervous system. These are the nerve fibers that carry the signals that allow you to move. When thinking about pain, we are interested in the afferent fibers.

Pain is Good - Pain has largely developed to help provide a reflexive withdrawal from a harmful situation. It helps you remove yourself form the situation, protect the affected region while healing, and promote avoidance in the future. In fact, those who don't sense pain due to congenital defects have a shorter life expectancy! *Edit:* +Rajini Rao pointed us to a specific mutation in a voltage-gated sodium channel (Nav1.7) that is preferentially expressed in afferent (sensory) neurons (http://knowingneurons.com/2013/09/25/a-world-without-pain/). This mutation leads to a lack of pain sensation.

Pain can be Bad - Unfortunately, the pain response can become chronic and debilitating in some people. We are especially aware of this phenomenon in lower back pain, which is the 6th most devastating disease in terms of loss of disability-adjusted life years!

Researchers are working hard to understand what causes chronic pain responses and how to treat and separate them from the appropriate and beneficial pain response.

I'm always fascinated by the interaction between wildlife and their environment. This Bison was at home resting on Antelope Island with the beautiful colors and patterns of the grass, beach, and the Great Salt Lake all around. The Bison was introduced to Antelope Island in 1893 and has a population of around 550-700 on the island at this time. The dry grass prairies provide a near optimum environment for the Bison. It was a lot of fun being out in the island with these beautiful beasts and I look forward to spending more time on Antelope Island!

I'm always fascinated by the interaction between wildlife and their environment. This Bison was at home resting on Antelope Island with the beautiful colors and patterns of the grass, beach, and the Great Salt Lake all around. The Bison was introduced to Antelope Island in 1893 and has a population of around 550-700 on the island at this time. The dry grass prairies provide a near optimum environment for the Bison. It was a lot of fun being out in the island with these beautiful beasts and I look forward to spending more time on Antelope Island!

There have been some incredible images floating around the internet of animals that have been preserved by Lake Natron. Unfortunately, some of the information and implications being spread with them are not quite accurate.

There is an implication that these birds are instantly turned to stone; however, this is simply not the case. These birds are preserved over a much longer period of time. Only birds that become immersed are preserved. In fact there are birds that are perfectly capable of surviving in the lake. It is the largest breading ground for North Africa's lesser flamingo.

It's also important to note that these animals were staged in these positions, as the photographer freely admits. He simply found them washed up on the shore after being preserved in the lake.

There's a deceptively still body of water in Tanzania with a deadly secret—it turns any animal it touches to stone. The rare phenomenon is caused by the chemical makeup of the lake, but the petrified creatures it leaves behind are straight out of a horror film.

Photographed by Nick Brandt in his new book, Across the Ravaged Land, petrified creatures pepper the area around the lake due to its constant pH of 9 to 10.5—an extremely basic alkalinity that preserves these creatures for eternity. According to Brandt:

"I unexpectedly found the creatures - all manner of birds and bats - washed up along the shoreline of Lake Natron in Northern Tanzania. No-one knows for certain exactly how they die, but it appears that the extreme reflective nature of the lake’s surface confuses them, and like birds crashing into plate glass windows, they crash into the lake. The water has an extremely high soda and salt content, so high that it would strip the ink off my Kodak film boxes within a few seconds. The soda and salt causes the creatures to calcify, perfectly preserved, as they dry.

I took these creatures as I found them on the shoreline, and then placed them in ‘living’ positions, bringing them back to ‘life’, as it were. Reanimated, alive again in death."

More pics: http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/10/any-animal-that-touches-this-lethal-lake-turns-to-stone/More info about the lake: http://www.isciencetimes.com/articles/6152/20131001/tanzania-lake-natron-animal-statues-africa-flamingo.htm #scienceeveryday +NATURE ﻿___The Lake that Does Not Instantly Turn Birds to Stone

There have been some incredible images floating around the internet of animals that have been preserved by Lake Natron. Unfortunately, some of the information and implications being spread with them are not quite accurate.

There is an implication that these birds are instantly turned to stone; however, this is simply not the case. These birds are preserved over a much longer period of time. Only birds that become immersed are preserved. In fact there are birds that are perfectly capable of surviving in the lake. It is the largest breading ground for North Africa's lesser flamingo.

It's also important to note that these animals were staged in these positions, as the photographer freely admits. He simply found them washed up on the shore after being preserved in the lake.

There is no doubt the preservation process of the lake is interesting, but not nearly the horror flick many have implied.

Who's More Pig-Headed, Dems or Republicans? Science Attempts to Answer

An interesting study conducted during the 2012 election attempts to answer this question and provides some insight into the stalemate occurring with the government shutdown. It appears that both sides have equal levels of "belief superiority", while conservatives tend to be more rigid in their belief systems.

The study was conducted during the 2012 election and may offer some insights into our current stalemate. Study author Dr. Katlin Toner states that “Once people get into a position that they’re feeling superior about, it makes them unable to compromise. Because if you believe you’re totally right, then why should you yield on anything?”